Steele Canyon Recreation Area: The Berryessa Highlands Resort

Hello friends and neighbors,

My name is Peter Kilkus and I’m the publisher of the Lake
Berryessa News and President of the Lake Berryessa Chamber of Commerce. My
personal goal is to see Lake Berryessa return to its position as the premier
family recreation destination of Northern California. The best path to that
goal is to have Napa County take over management of the Lake Berryessa
Recreation Areas (previously known as “resorts”) through a Managing Partner
Agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The process leading to that goal has
been ongoing for 18 months and is reaching a milestone with the presentation of
the consultant’s report to the Napa supervisors at their meeting on Tuesday,
August 1.

Based on comments I’ve read on my Lake Berryessa News Facebook
page and on Nextdoor Berryessa, many folks are not clear about what happened at
the lake over the last 20 years, especially if they only moved up here after
2009 when Steele Park Resort was finally demolished by the Bureau of
Reclamation along with four other resorts.

I respectfully ask you to educate yourselves before stating
your opinions about what you think the future should look like at Steele Canyon
Recreation Area (Steele Park Resort). This will have a major impact on the
Berryessa Highlands. Steele Park was a great amenity for those of us who lived
here before 2009.

First read and watch “What Happened At Lake Berryessa? A
Condensed Political History: 1958 - 2017”

at http://www.lakeberryessanews.com/what-happened-at-lake-berry.html

To understand how the process started please read the lead
story in last July’s Lake Berryessa News at:

Berryessa Highlands residents have some legitimate concerns
which can most readily be addressed if the County manages the Steele Canyon
concession operator rather than Reclamation - even Reclamation supports this
concept.

The practical implications for the Berryessa Highlands, for
example, of the rebirth of the Lake Berryessa as premier recreation destination
are profound. How about a thriving Corners bar, restaurant, store? How about a
fully functioning Steele Canyon marina with gas and a couple of hundred boat
slips - and a good restaurant with a dynamite view - within 5 minutes of your
home? How about at least one functioning gas station? Steele Park had 50
full-time employees. How about 600 new local jobs around the lake? That was a
Pensus planning estimate. How about increasing property values to homeowners?

We will have more time to address the needs of Highlands
residents in the future, including a community meeting, after we see the consultants’
report. But I want to address some of the concerns that have been expressed now.

Napa Berryessa Resort Improvement District DOES NOT PAY
for Steele Canyon.

Some people continue to spread and believe the false rumor
that Berryessa Highlands residents somehow pay part of their property tax to
support Steele Canyon. This is simply not true, nor has it ever been true. The
term “resort improvement district” was a term applied to a California law that
created the ability for certain developments to create bond issues to create
water and sewer treatment systems in rural areas like the Highlands. No money
ever was used for Steele Park Resort. No money ever will be used for Steele
Canyon Recreation Area. The original bonds were paid off decades ago. The money
being paid now by Highlands residents is for the new water and sewer system
upgrades mandated by the state. The state had imposed a building moratorium in
the Highlands until the new system was operational.

But Steele Park Resort did help pay for the water and sewer
bills of the Berryessa Highlands residents. Steele Park paid for 30% of the
cost of the system. If a resort were developed at Steele Canyon, it would be
required to used NBRID services and possibly contribute to lowering the bill
for Highlands users.

No Indian Casino Here

Although many local residents would like to see an Indian
casino somewhere around the lake, that will never happen. There is only one
property up by Putah Creek Recreation Area that is owned by a Native American
tribe. Napa County would strongly oppose any effort to create a casino anywhere
in Napa County. My April Fool’s story about the possible floating Indian casino
spread like wildfire. When I told everyone who wasn’t smart enough to get the
joke that it was a joke, there was a lot of disappointment.

Berryessa Highlands User Discounts for Steele Canyon Use

This has been an issue for many decades. Highlands residents
believe they should have a special locals’ user discount - especially for
simple use like walking dogs. Most of us support the concept. If Napa County
manages the new contracts there will be significant incentive for them to treat
their own constituents well. We can push for local discounts.

Residents never had to pay an entry fee at Steele Park when
they went to use the restaurant and bar. The Boathouse Restaurant was a local
meeting place for Highlands neighbors, especially if they didn’t want to drive
all the way to the Corners for a drink and some social activity. Those who have
lived here in the Highlands when the Corners was open, remember how much fun it
was to here a good band and have some fun. Unfortunately, three different
owners tried to make a go of it during the last ten years - and failed. They
could not survive without a fully operational Steele Park Resort.

By law, the concessions can only charge an entry fee for
services provided (day use picnics, boat launching, camping). Anyone who only
wants to drop in to check out a resort’s facilities can do it for free,
although they would need to get a pass at the gate.

Traffic and Trash

This has been an issue for decades also. With the County
managing the resort concessions they can require payment for services such as
the Sheriff patrols. They could also require the concession owners to clean the
trash on the roads after a busy weekend. Since the roads belong to the county,
the county can make road improvements to alleviate traffic issues for Highlands
residents.

Support Napa County Management for Berryessa Resorts

The Lake Berryessa News and Lake Berryessa Chamber of
Commerce strongly support Napa County management of the lake recreation areas
(“resorts”). If this management agreement is not approved, I believe it will
mark the end of any chance for a revitalization of the lake community, to the
detriment of the Berryessa Highlands especially.